National Lung Screening Trial (NLST)

The National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) was a large research study that investigated whether screening heavy smokers with low-dose CT scans could help detect lung cancer early. Participants at high risk were randomly assigned to receive either annual low-dose CT scans or standard chest X-rays over three years. The study found that those screened with CT scans had a significantly lower risk of dying from lung cancer compared to those with X-rays. This evidence supports using low-dose CT scans for lung cancer screening in high-risk individuals, potentially saving lives through earlier detection.